I love going all over Portland every weekend in the summer, participating in community events and listening to neighbors who take the opportunity to giveadvice to their City Commissioner. This weekend was especially fun, as the first stop was at home in Multnomah Village. A chance to hug my neighbor Connie, who we lived next door to for five years; to rejoice over the newborn son welcomed into SW Neighborhood, Inc. Board President Brian Russell's family; to stop by the Little Lambs Preschool booth to reminisce with volunteers from Good Shepherd Lutheran Church where my kids Maxwell and Ali were given such a good start to their academic careers; to help paint dots on the Multnomah Arts Center mural; and so much more.
Photo by Robert Wilson
Four of my most faithful helpers volunteered for this parade: Bill Michtom, Robert Wilson, Roger Anthony, and Wesley Buchholtz. I continue to be amazed and blessed by folks who give their time and talents over and over, to help me and to contribute to community cohesion in Portland.
After the event in SW, I visited Overlook Park in North Portland for the Intercultural event organized by Our United Villages, and then went over to Hazelwood in East Portland for the Gateway Area Business Association Cruise-In at Parkview Retirement Community off Halsey. A good time for all, at both events.
Sunday, I participated in the Graduation Ceremony at Colonel Sumner Park in the Buckman neighborhood of SE Portland, for 80 Burmese and Tongan immigrant volunteers, who helped with traffic control at the three Sunday Parkways bicycling events this summer. This program, organized by the Office of Human Relations, trained high school students in collaboration with Police Bureau and Office of Transportation staff. Some of the new Portlanders could barely speak English so soon after arrival, but they sure learned how to start integrating into Portland by volunteering, with smiles. That's what we do in Portland - we volunteer, and we smile.
